Chelsea Clinton: What Earth Day Means to Me as a Mother

This is my second Earth Day as a mom. I am constantly thinking about—as I am sure parents around the world are—what I can do to best support and nurture my daughter Charlotte today and help create a future in which she, her little sister or little brother, and all children can thrive. Today, those thoughts have an added urgency as more and more research shows our planet heating and climate change wreaking havoc on ecosystems across the globe. More than anything, I want my kids and all our children to live in a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous world. That's why I feel a renewed responsibility to protect our planet from the devastating impact of climate change.

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The actions we take in the next decade will determine whether we meet and reverse climate change—or not. I'm very proud that my mom has made climate change a focal point of her campaign for president, laying out two ambitious goals for our country: having half a billion solar panels installed across America by 2020, and generating enough renewable energy to power every home in America within 10 years. Yes, that will put us on track to become the world's clean energy superpower while creating millions of jobs. It will also crucially help us reduce health risks like asthma and respiratory illnesses and move us forward in the fight for environmental justice.

"Air pollution, water pollution, and toxic chemicals are far more likely to be found in low-income communities and communities of color across our country than in higher-income white communities."

Air pollution, water pollution, and toxic chemicals are far more likely to be found in low-income communities and communities of color across our country than in higher-income white communities. African American children are twice as likely as white children to have asthma. The on-going outrage of Flint families and children still not having clean, safe water to drink and use has spotlighted the tragedy of lead poisoning. More than 535,000 children in the U.S. have been poisoned by lead and children of color are more likely to be poisoned than white children. All of this is environmental racism, and not another Earth Day should pass where we don't recognize this injustice, take responsibility for solving it, and move quickly to ensure that no child grows up in a community besieged by pollution, in its air, its water, or its soil.

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It's never been more clear that in the face of attacks from climate change deniers and those who dismiss environmental racism, we need a champion in the White House to fight for the safer, cleaner, and healthier future we want for our children. These aren't new fights for my mom. In fact, as long as I can remember, she's stood up for children and for our planet—ranging from combatting lead poisoning as senator to making combatting climate change a U.S. foreign policy priority as secretary of state.

"Of course, these are small steps, but I am a firm believer that lots of small steps can add up to a substantial impact."

There are things each of us can do every day to be part of these fights—and more than just once a year on Earth Day. When I was growing up, a book called 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth had a huge impact on me. It explained complex issues like climate change and pollution, and it laid out practical actions I could take as a kid to help protect our environment, like recycling old paper, raising awareness about pollution and how to combat it, even cutting the plastic rings around soda cans so that marine life wouldn't choke on them.

Of course, these are small steps, but I am a firm believer that lots of small steps can add up to a substantial impact. They're also steps you don't have to be old enough to vote to take. All our futures depend on us doing what we can, whenever we can, to fight pollution, fight global warming, fight climate change—and fight for a cleaner, healthier, more just and safe world for all our families and children. We shouldn't only be thinking about the environment on Earth Day (or Election Day), but every day and now, more than ever.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hearst Magazines.

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